Center for Digital Agriculture

Center for Digital Agriculture Conference 2025

Precision Livestock Management

In Person Event • March 5, 2025 • iHotel and Illinois Conference Center

Conference Overview

We’re hosting our annual conference on March 5, 2025, at the iHotel and Illinois Conference Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

Join us for an insightful exploration of the current landscape and future potential of precision livestock management technologies. This conference will bring together a diverse group of experts from industry, government, and academia to share knowledge, discuss lessons learned, and collaborate on advancing innovations in the field. Together, we’ll explore how these technologies can continue to evolve to help feed and clothe the world’s growing population.

Tentative Agenda

We are still finalizing our conference agenda – talk titles and speakers are subject to change! Please return to this page for the most up-to-date version and info.

TIME
AGENDA

8:00 – 8:45 a.m.

Registration / Check-In & Breakfast

9:00 – 9:10 a.m.

Welcome Remarks

🎤 Speaker: John Reid, CDA Executive Director (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

9:15 – 10:05 a.m.

Commercialization of University Research and Success/Failures of AgTech Startups

🎤 Speaker: TBD

10:10 – 11:00 a.m.

Land Grants Universities are the Key to Animal Tech Success

🎤 Speaker: Jim Lowe, Associate Dean and Professor (U of I Veterinary Medicine)

11:05 – 11:20 a.m.

☕️ Break

11:20 – 11:40 a.m.

Robotics in Livestock: Successes and Challenges

🎤 Speaker: TBD

11:45 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

How Will We Enable Precision Feeding?

🎤 Speaker: TBD

12:10 – 1:05 p.m.

🍽️ Lunch

1:10 – 1:30 p.m.

Data Sharing and Privacy

🎤 Speaker: TBD

1:35 – 2:15 p.m.

Shaping Workforce Development in the Delivery of Animal Care

🎤 Speaker: TBD

2:20 – 3:00 p.m.

Making AI Accessible – Current Livestock Research and AI Education Activities in CDA

🎤 Speakers: Angela Green-Miller (Associate Professor, Agriculture and Biological Engineering), Isabella Condotta (Assistant Professor, Animal Science), Tiago Bresolin (Assistant Professor, Animal Science), and Christina Tucker (CDA Director of Operations)

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.

☕️ Break

3:15 – 3:55 p.m

Producers Panel: What can AI do for you?

🎤 Speakers: TBD

4:00 – 4:15 p.m

Closing Remarks & Thank You

4:00 – 6:00 p.m

Explore the Future of Digital Agriculture at Our Poster Session

Join us at the CU AgTech Week Happy Hour event at Enterprise Works for an exclusive poster session presented by the Center for Digital Agriculture. Faculty affiliates and graduate students will showcase their cutting-edge research on the 2nd floor, highlighting the diverse and innovative advancements in Digital Agriculture happening on our campus.

This is a unique opportunity for industry professionals to engage with the latest developments, network with leading researchers, and discover potential collaborations that could shape the future of digital agriculture. We hope to see you there!

Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week celebrates Champaign-Urbana’s robust AgTech ecosystem, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Parkland College, corporate innovation partners, startups, state-of-the-art facilities, student organizations, local ag companies, the iFAB Tech Hub, and more.

Travel & Lodging Information

Lodging

Champaign-Urbana has many hotels near the University of Illinois campus.

Below is a short list of potential lodging accommodations nearby.

Getting Here/Around

Champaign-Urbana is easy to get to and navigate. Conveniently situated off three major interstates, we’re nearly equidistant from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis. Transportation options include:

Once here, our award-winning mass transit district will help get you around, as will our rentable bikes and e-bikes, or walk in our connected districts! We also have taxi cab services and ride sharing services.

iHotel and Illinois Conference Center

All events will take place in the Chancellor Ballroom at the iHotel and Illinois Conference Center. 

How to get to iHotel and Illinois Conference Center:

IHotel and Illinois Conference Center address: 1900 S 1st St, Champaign, IL 61820

Where should I park for the conference?
iHotel and Illinois Conference Center offer free onsite parking. 

Click here for more info about the iHotel and Illinois Conference Center

Questions: Please contact digitalag@illinois.edu with any questions